Variable depth rotary handle operator for circuit breakers



June 6, 1967 VARIAB Filed Feb. 25, 1966 J. R. CHAMBERLIN, JR.. ETAL 3,324,259

LE DEPTH ROTARY HANDLE OPERATOR FOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS I 5 Sheets-Sheet l June 6, 1967 J. R. CHAMBERLIN, JR.. ETAL 3,324,259

VARIABLE DEPTH ROTARY HANDLE OPERATOR FOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS Filed Feb. 25, 1966 5 SheetsSheet 2 June 6, 1967 J. R. CHAMBERLIN, JR.. ETAL. 3,324,259

VARIABLE DEPTH ROTARY HANDLE OPERATOR FOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS Filed Feb. 25, 1966 s Sheets-Sheet i175. 5, T E.- 5.

4; 6V 611 b J? Jaw yj l June 6, 9 J. R. CHAMBERLIN, JR. ETAL 3,

VARIABLE DEPTH ROTARY HANDLE OPERATOR FOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS Filed Feb. 25, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 BY 67%?! E. gem/4v June 6, 1 67 J. R. CHAMBERLIN, JR.. ETAL 3,324,259

VARIABLE DEPTH ROTARY HANDLE OPERATOR F'OR CIRCUIT BREAKERS Filed Feb. 25, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet b z- & .23. 227

1 By 060% i eyc vm United States Patent G 3,324,259 VARIABLE DEPTH ROTARY HANDLE ()PERATGR FUR CIRCUIT BREAKERS John R. (Iharnberlin, Jr., Bryn Mawr, Pa, and Carl E.

Gryctiko, Haddon Heights, NJ assignors to I-T-E Circuit Breaker Company, Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 530,039 11 Claims. (Cl. 200-tl) This invention relates to handle mechanisms for the operation of enclosure mounted circuit breakers and more particularly relates to a novel simplified variable depth means and indexing means.

US. Patent No. 2,890,302 issued June 9, 1959, entitled Operating Mechanism for Variable Depth Enclosure, with W. De Benedictis as inventor, illustrates a rotary handle mechanism, mounted upon the openable cover of an enclosure, for operating a circuit breaker within the enclosure and mounted to the enclosure wall remote from the cover. With such a device in the cover open position, the handle mechanism is completely disconnected from the circuit breaker and because of this the position of the bandle mechanism cannot be relied upon as being indicative of whether the circuit breaker is opened or closed. Further, because the cover mounted handle mechanism may, when the cover is' open, assume a different position than the circuit breaker handle it is necessary to provide a costly resilient lam proof means to cushion closing of the cover.

In order to eliminate these undesirable and/or costly features the instant invention provides a construction in which the handle mechanism consists of a front section, a rear section and a connecting section which always joins the front and rear sections. The rear section is mounted directly to a front surface of the circuit interrupter which is mounted within the enclosure on the rear wall thereof. The front section includes a rotary handle which extends through an opening in the enclosure cover when the cover is in its closed position so that the handle is operable from outside the enclosure. A defeatable cover interlock is provided to prevent unauthorized persons from opening the enclosure cover when the circuit interrupter is closed. A defeatable switch interlock is provided to prevent accident closing of the circuit interrupter when the enclosure cover is opened and a handle locking means is provided to prevent unauthorized handle operation. The cover and switch interlocks include a common cam operated by the mechanism handle.

Accordingly a primary object of the instant invention is to provide a novel construction for a rotary handle mechanism used to operate a circuit interrupter mounted within an enclosure having an openable cover with this handle mechanism extending outside of the cover.

Another object is to provide a rotary handle mechanism of this type which will always provide a positive indication of the circuit interrupter operating handle.

Still another object is to provide a handle mechanism of this type having novel adjustable means constituting a connecting section between the front and rear sections of the handle mechanism in order to adapt this mechanism for enclosures differing in depth.

Still another object is to provide a handle mechanism of this type in which the orientation of the handle may readily be changed relative to the enclosure.

A further object is to provide a construction of this type in which the mechanism includes novel sub-assemblies.

These objects as well as other objects will become readily apparent after reading the following description of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective showing a circuit interrupter mounted in an enclosure having an openable cover, with a rotary handle mechanism for interrupter operation, constructed in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention but Without a connecting section.

FIGURE 2 is an elevation, partially sectioned, showing the rear and connecting sections of the handle mechanism.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the front section of the handle mechanism.

FIGURE 4 is an elevation of the front section looking in the direction of arrows 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the front section with the ring assembly, handle and gasket removed to more clearly reveal the elements of the cover and switch interlocks.

FIGURE 6 is an elevation looking in the direction of arrows 66 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a rear view of the handle ring assembly.

FIGURES 8 and 9 are elevations of the rotary handle and related elements taken through line 8-8 of FIGURE 3 looking in the direction of arrows 8-8. In FIGURE 8 the handle locking mechanism is inactive while in FIG- URE 9 this mechanism is extended to locking position.

FIGURE 10 is a plan view looking at the rear of the rear section.

FIGURE 11 is an elevation looking in the direction of arrows I11I of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is an exploded perspective of the rotary handle mechanism.

FIGURES l3 and 14 are an elevation and exploded perspective, respectively, of another construction for the connecting section.

New referring to the figures. The device of the instant invention is used in connection with rectangular sheet metal enclosure 21 having openable front cover 22. Circuit interrupter 23 mounted to the rear wall 24 of enclosure 21 is a multi-pole molded case circuit breaker of a type described in US. Patent No. 3,155,802 issued Nov. 3, 1964, entitled U-shaped Cradle for Circus Breaker with E. Wortman as inventor.

The rotary handle mechanism of FIGURE 1 includes rear mechanism 25 mounted to the front of circuit interrupter 23 by screws 26, and front mechanism mounted to the front of rear mechanism 25 by four other screws 27. Cover 22 is provided with a circular aperture 28 which receives handle ring 29 of upper section 30 when cover 22 is closed. Cover 22 in the closed position thereof engages and slightly compresses gasket 31 mounted on the forward surface of plate 32. Cover 22 is provided with aperture 28 through which handle ring 29 extends when cover 22 is closed. Rectangular gasket strip 33 mounted on the inside of cover 22 engages the free edges of the enclosure side walls when cover 22 is closed. It should now be apparent that gaskets 31 and 33 constitute means for dust proofing enclosure 21.

The depth of enclosure 21 in FIGURE 1 is such that by merely mounting front section 30 directly to rear section 25 when cover 22 is closed it engages gasket 31 of front section 36. However, for the case of a deeper enclosure (not shown) and a circuit interrupter no larger than circuit breaker 23 it is necessary to provide connecting section 35 (FIGURE 2) connecting front and rear sections 30, 25 together and positioning gasket 31 for engagement by the enclosure cover.

Now referring more particularly to FIGURES 3 through 5, front section 30 of the rotary handle mechanism also includes indicator plate 41 mounted by rivets 42 to the front of an interior ledge of ring 29. Elongated handle 43, having one end formed as a pointer, is positioned in front of plate 41 and is fixedly secured to the square front section 44 of bearing 45 by means of roll pin 46. Square section 44 extends through a central aperture in plate 41 while the larger diameter rear section 44a of bearing 45 is disposed to the rear of plate 41.

Locking slide 47 is mounted to handle 43 and is guided for movement along the longitudinal axis thereof by a narrow slot in section 44 of bearing 45. Pin 46 and open end slot 47a cooperate to provide additional guidance for slide 47. In FIGURE 8 slide 47 is shown in retracted position where it is ineffectual to perform a locking function. In FIGURE 9 slide 47 is shown extended from the end of handle 43 remote from the pointed end thereof. In order to extend slide 47 it must be aligned with ring notch 48, or ring notch 49 when the frangible section 29a of ring 29 is broken away. With slide 47 extended the shackles of one or more padlocks (not shown) may be inserted into the elongated slot 47b of slide 47 to prevent slide 47 from being moved to its retracted position of FIGURE 8. With slide 47 extended ring 29 blocks rotation of handle 43 and, as will hereinafter become apparent, prevents operation of circuit breaker 23.

Screws extending through clearance apertures 51 (FIG- URE in plate 32 are received by threaded apertures 52 in the rear of ring 29 to secure ring 29 and the elements mounted to plate 32. L-shaped sheet-like member 54 constructed of spring metal is mounted to the rear surface of plate 32 by rivets 55. The end of member 54 remote from rivets 55 carries blocking projection 56 which extends through aperture 57 in plate 32. Pin 58 extends from spring member 54 at a point intermediate the ends thereof through aperture 59 in plate 32, projecting perpendicular to the plane of member 54. For a reason to be hereinafter explained, when enclosure cover 22 is closed it engages and thereby depresses pin 58 deflecting spring 54 inwardly which in turn moves projection 56 to the rear providing clearance for counterclockwise movement of cam 60.

Cam 60 is keyed to bearing 45 at the rear of enlarged section 44a so that cam 60 is movable by handle 43. However, there is a certain amount of lost motion in the connection between handle 43 and cam 60 in that the inward radial keying extension 99 of cam 60 is not as long angularly as its cooperating keying notch 98 in bearing 45 (see FIGURE 7).

Cam 60 includes narrow radial extension 61 which cooperates with blocking projection 56 in a manner to be hereinafter explained in order to prevent closing of circuit breaker 23 when cover 22 is opened. Cam 60 also includes wide radial projection 62 disposed almost 180 from narrow projection 61. Projection 62 extends behind the main section 64 of cover interlock member 65 and is positioned between guide pin 66 and post 67. Pin 66 extends rearwardly from main section 64 and is disposed within elongated slot 68 in plate 32. Post 67 extends forwardly from plate 32 and is provided with an enlarged standoff section 67a adjacent to the forward surface of plate 32 with the narrow portion of post 67 being disposed within open ended slot 64a of latch member 65. It is noted that the portion 66a of pin 66 positioned immediately to the rear of latch member section 64 is of a diameter which is larger than the width of slot 68. Thus, pin portion 66a and post section 67a act to mount latch member 64 in spaced relation with respect to the forward surface of plate 32 so as to provide clearance for the movement of cam member 60.

Coiled tension spring 69 is secured at one of its ends to the forwardly extending ear 71 of latch member 65 and at its other end is secured to post 67 so as to bias latching members 65 to the left against left end 75a of slot 75 with respect to FIGURE 5, to a latching position. Member 65 may be operated to unlatching position to the right of that shown in FIGURE 5 by rotating cam member 60 in a clockwise direction with respect to FIGURE 5 so that wide projection 62 engages pin portion 66. Latch member 65 may also be moved to the right with respect to FIGURE 5 by rotating the defeater member 70 in a clockwise direction so that extension 70a thereof engages pin 72 extending forwardly from latch member section 64. Defeater member 70 includes, at its axis of rotation, slotted portion 70b accessible for engagement by a screw driver or the like insertable through aperture 41a in indicator plate 41. It is noted that aperture 41a is accessible when handle 43 is in the circuit breaker ON position.

Latch member 65 also includes another section 74 disposed at right angles to section 64 and extending through slot 75. Section 74 also extends between the arms of U-shaped bracket 78 secured to the rear surface of plate 32 and cooperates therewith to stabilize and guide movement of latch member 65. The end of section 74 remote from section 64 is sloped and constitutes latching tip 76 which cooperates with bracket 77 carried on the inside of cover 22 to permit closing and latching of cover 22 even when handle 43 is in the circuit breaker ON position.

Assuming for the moment that the position of handle 43 always corresponds with the position of circuit breaker handle 23a, it is seen that with circuit breaker 23 ON, cam 60 is in the position shown in FIGURE 5 and latch tip 76 cooperates with cover bracket 77 to maintain enclosure cover 22 in closed position. Movement of handle 43 in a clockwise direction serves to rotate cam 60 in a clockwise direction into engagement with rearwardly extending pin 66a thereby moving latching member 65 to the right with respect to FIGURE 5 to its unlatching position wherein latching tip 76 is clear of bracket 77 thereby permitting cover 22 to be opened.

With handle 43 in circuit breaker OFF position, cam eX- tension 61 is positioned to the left of projection 56 as viewed in FIGURE 5. Since the left end 56a of projection 56 extends substantially at right angles to the path of movement of cam 60, when cover 22 is opened, surface 56a is in the path of movement of cam extension 61 thereby blocking movement of cam 60 in a counterclockwise direction and in so doing preventing the closing of circuit breaker 23.

Projection 56 may be moved from this blocking position by depressing pin 58 either manually or by the closing of cover 22. When projection 56 is moved to the rear, or releasing position shown in phantom in FIGURE 6, projection 56 is no longer in the path of oam extension 61 so that cam 60 is free to operate in a counterclockwise direction thereby permitting handle 43 to close circuit breaker 23. It is noted that the sloping surface 56b of projection 56 and the resilient nature of member 54 permits the operation of circuit breaker 23 from ON position to OFF position when cover 22 is open in that clockwise movement of cam 60 from its position shown in FIGURE 5 causes the rounded edge portion 61a of cam extension 61 to engage sloping surface 56!) thereby c amming projection 56 to the rear.

Connecting section 35 (FIGURE 2) includes drive rod member 81, exteriorly threaded spacer tube 82, adapter bushing 85, and mounting flanges including plates 83, 84 and hubs 83a, 84a, respectively. Each of the hub members 83a, 84a is provided with a threaded aperture which receives opposite ends of tube 82. After tube 82 is inserted into hub 83a these two members are welded or otherwise fixedly secured together. Once the angular position of hub member 84 relative to plate 83 is established, lock nut 86 mounted on the exterior of tube 82 is drawn against hub member 84a.

Rod 81 is disposed within tube 82 and extends along the axis thereof. Rod 81 is of square cross section with one end thereof received by a complementary aperture 81a (FIGURE 7) at the rear of bushing 45. The other end of rod 81 is entered into a complementary bore a of adapter 85 with this bore also receiving the square projection 87 extending forwardly from bushing 88 of the rear section 25. Thus, it is seen that rotation of handle 43 is transmitted by rod 81 from forward bushing 45 to rear bushing 88.

Four screws 89 received in threaded apertures 91 of plate 84 fixedly secure front section plate 32 to plate 84 of connecting section 35. Interiorly threaded nipples 92 extend forwardly from the sheet metal frame 93 of rear section 25 and are received by apertures 94 in rear plate 83. Screws 95 are threaded into nipples 2 and are provided with heads so proportioned that they retain plate 83 of connecting section 35 mounted to rear section 25. It is noted that nipples 92 are positioned in What will be termed a square arrangement. The square cross section of rod 81 combined with the square arrangement of mounting nipples 92 permits the angular orientation or indexing of connecting section 35 to be readily changed with respect to rear section 25 in 90 steps thereby providing a significant degree of flexibility insofar as the positioning of circuit breaker 23 within enclosure 21.

Rear section 25 also includes main crank 101 and intermediate crank 102 both mounted between the arms of Ushaped frame 93. Main crank 101 is an elongated shallow channel member while intermediate crank 102 is an elongated sheet member having a rearward step at One end thereof. One end of intermediate crank 102 is keyed at 103 to the rear end of bearing 88. The other or rearwardly stepped end of crank 102 is connected by pin 104 to one end of main crank 101 at slot 105 in crank 101. The cooperation of pin 104 and slot 105 provides a lost motion connection between cranks 101 and 102. The other end of main crank 101 is connected to post 106 fixed to frame 93 and extending parallel to bushing 88 and spaced therefrom. Spring clip 107 retains crank mounted to 101 to post 106.

As explained in the now abandoned I. C. Brumfield application Ser. No. 314,226, file-d Oct. 7, 1963, entitled Rotary Handle Operator and assigned to the assignee of the instant invention, rotation of rear bearing 88 in a clockwise direction with respect to FIGURE rotates pin 104 in a clockwise direction carrying along the free end of main crank 101. Thus, crank 101. moves in a clockwise direction about post 106 as a stationary pivot.

The portion of main crank 101 between post 106 and slide 105 isprovided with aperture 108 which receives the operating handle 23a of circuit breaker 23. Screws 26 extending through frame apertures 112 fixedly mount rear section 25 to the front surface of circuit breaker 23 in operative position such that handle 23a is engaged by tang 116 for closing of circuit breaker 23.

' It is noted that circuit'breaker handle 23a is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis extending normal to the axis provided by post 106 for main crank 101. While handle 23a is actually pivoted about an axis parallel to the forward surface of frame 93, the angular motion of handle 23a is so limited that those skilled in the art consider motion of handle 23a to be linear. Rear section 25 converts the rotary motion of operating handle 43 into the so-called linear motion required to operate circuit breaker handle 2311. In order to obtain the best mechanical advantage the surface of ear 115 which engages handle 23a is convex being curved about an axis which is Y oblique with respect to the plane of motion of main crank "101 so as to extend over handle receiving aperture 108 and towards handle 23a. This construction of ear 115 'eliminates sharp corners in contact with handle 23a to minimize friction therebetween for ease of circuit breaker operation and also to engage the extreme forward end of circuit breaker handle 23a to obtain the greatest mechanical advantage.

It is noted that both frame 93 and front plate 84 are provided with appropriately shaped cutouts 191, 192

interlock depending upon whether front section 30 is mounted directly to front plate 84 or frame 93 on nipples 92. It is also noted that for a given installation requiring a connecting section 35, rod 81 and tube 82 must each be cut to required length.

Now referring to FIGURES l3 and 14 which illustrate connecting section 200 which is a modification of connecting section 35. Section 200 comprises plate-like mounting flange members 201, 202 spaced by support tube 203. Member 201 is provided with rearwardly extending hub 204 while member 202 is provided with forwardly extending hub 205. Each of the hubs 204, 205 is provided with a plurality of angularly spaced axially extending slits providing flexible arms for hubs 204, 205 for a reason which will hereinafter become obvious.

Each of the hubs 204, 205 is provided with an axial bore to receive opposite ends of tube 203. Hubs 204, 205 are provided with interior shoulders 207, 208, respectively. The forward end of tube 203 abuts shoulder 207 while the rear end of tube 203 abuts shoulder 208. Ring clamps 214, 215 are mounted to hubs 204, 205, respectively, and, when tightened by the respective adjusting screws 224, 225, prevent angular movement of flange members 201, 202 relative to tube 203.

To simplify inventory problems flange members 201, 202 are cast as identical members and include a boss 226 positioned at each corner of the generally square platelike flange portions. Each of the bosses 226 of member 201 is provided with a threaded aperture 227 extending therethrough while each of the bosses 226 of member 202 is provided with a clearance aperture 237 extending therethrough. The plate-like portions of each of the members 201, 202 is provided with cutouts 291, 292. Cutouts 291, 292 of flange member 201 perform the same clearance functions as cutouts 291, 292 of flange member 84 (FIG- URE 12).

As in the embodiment of FIGURES 112, screws 89 enter the threaded apertures 227 of flange member 201 to secure front mechanism 30 to connecting section 200. Similarly nipples 92 of frame 93 (FIGURE 12) extend into apertures 237 and screws enter the threaded apertures of nipples 92 to secure connecting section 200 to rear mechanism 25.

Thus, it is seen that the instant invention provides a novel construction for a handle mechanism used to operate a circuit breaker mounted within an enclosure having an openable cover with the handle mechanism being operable from outside the enclosure.

Although there has been described a preferred embodiment of this novel invention, many variations and modifications will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is to be limited, not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appending claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege or property is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A rotary handle mechanism for operating a circuit breaker mounted within an enclosure; said mechanism including a rear section engageable with a circuit breaker handle for operation thereof, a front section spaced from said rear section and including an operating handle mounted for rotary motion, a connecting section having said front and said rear sections secured thereto at opposite ends thereof, an elongated drive member extending between said front and rear sections to transmit motion of said operating handle to said rear section; said connecting section including an elongated tube for maintaining .a predetermined spacing between said front and rear sections; said drive member disposed within said tube and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof; said connecting section including a sub-assembly comprising said tube, a front flange means, a rear flange means, first means positioning said front flange means on said tube at one end thereof and positioning said rear flange means on said tube at the other end thereof; said first means removably securing at least one of said flange means to said tube in a selected angular position about said tube as an axis; said front and said rear flange means including front and rear mounting surfaces, respectively, positioned in planes generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said tube; first means securing said front section to and in front of said front mounting surface, second means securing said rear section to and behind said rear mounting surface.

2. A rotary handle mechanism for operating a circuit breaker mounted within an enclosure; said mechanism including a rear section engageable with a circuit breaker handle for operation thereof, a front section spaced from said rear section and including an operating handle mounted for rotary motion, a connecting section having said front and said rear sections secured thereto at opposite ends thereof, an elongated drive member extending between said front and rear sections to transmit motion of said operating handle to said rear section; said connecting section including an elongated tube for maintaining a predetermined spacing between said front and rear sections; said drive member disposed within said tube and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof; said connecting section including a sub-assembly comprising said tube, a front flange means mounted to one end of said tube, a rear flange means mounted to the other end of said tube; said front and said rear flange means including front and rear mounting surfaces, respectively, positioned in planes generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said tube; first means securing said front section to and in front of said front mounting surface, second means securing said rear section to and behind said rear mounting surface; said tube having thread means spiraled about said longitudinal axis; complementary thread means in threaded engagement with said thread means of said tube and securing at least one of said front and said rear flange means to said tube.

3. A mechanism as set forth in claim 2 in which said thread means of said tube is external thereof and extends along substantially the entire length thereof.

4. A rotary handle mechanism for operating a circuit breaker mounted within an enclosure; said mechanism including a rear section engageable with a circuit breaker handle for operation thereof, a front section spaced from said rear section and including an operating handle mounted for rotary motion, a connecting section having said front and said rear sections secured thereto at opposite ends thereof, an elongated drive member extending between said front and rear sections to transmit motion of said operating handle to said rear section; said connecting section including an elongated tube for maintaining a predetermined spacing between said front and rear sections; said drive member disposed within said tube and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof; said connecting section including a sub-assembly comprising said tube, a front flange means mounted to one end of said tube, a rear flange means mounted to the other end of said tube; said front and said rear flange means including front and rear mounting surfaces, respectively, positioned in planes generally perpendicular to said longi tudinal axis of said tube; first means securing said front section to and in front of said front mounting surface, second means securing said rear section to and behind said rear mounting surface; said drive member having a polygonal cross-section with the ends of said drive member received in recesses each having a cross-section complementary to and closely fitted to said polygonal crosssection.

5. A rotary handle mechanism for operating a circuit breaker mounted within an enclosure; said mechanism including a rear section engageable with a circuit breaker handle for operation thereof, a front section spaced from said rear section and including an operating handle mounted for rotary motion, a connecting section having said front and said rear sections secured thereto at opposite ends thereof, an elongated drive member extending between said front and rear sections to transmit motion of said operating handle to said rear section; said connecting section including an elongated tube for maintaining a predetermined spacing between said front and rear sections; said drive member disposed within said tube and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof; said connecting section including a sub-assembly comprising said tube, a front flange means mounted to one end of said tube, a rear flange means mounted to the other end of said tube; said front and said rear flange means including front and rear mounting surfaces, respectively, position in planes generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said tube; first means securing said front section to and in front of said front mounting surface, second means securing said rear section to and behind said rear mounting surface; indexing means establishing a plurality of predetermined locations for selected angular positioning about said longitudinal axis, of said front section relative to said rear section.

6. A rotary handle mechanism for operating a circuit breaker mounted within an enclosure; said mechanism including a rear section engageable with a circuit breaker handle for operation thereof, a front section spaced from said rear section and including an operating handle mounted for rotary motion, a connecting section having said front and said rear sections secured thereto at opposite ends thereof, an elongated drive member extending between said front and rear sections to transmit motion of said operating handle to said rear section; said connectin g section including an elongated tube for maintaining a predetermined spacing between said front and rear sections; said drive member disposed within said tube and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof; said connecting section including a sub-assembly comprising said tube, a front flange means mounted to one end of said tube, a rear flange means mounted to the other end of said tube; said front and said rear flange means including front and rear mounting surfaces, respectively, positioned in planes generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said tube; first means securing said front section to and in front of said front mounting surface, second means securing said rear section to and behind said rear mounting surface; said rear section comprising a rear sub-assembly including a frame to which said rear flange means is secured, bushing means mounted to said frame in driving engagement with said drive member, and crank means operated by said bushing means to transform rotary motion of said bushing means to generally linear motion for operation of a circuit breaker handle.

7. A rotary handle mechanism for operating a circuit breaker mounted within an enclosure; said mechanism including a rear section engageable with a circuit breaker handle for operation thereof, a front section spaced from said rear section and including an operating handle mounted for rotary motion, a connecting section having said front and said rear sections secured thereto at opposite ends thereof, an elongated drive member extending between said front and rear sections to transmit motion of said operating handle to said rear section; said connecting section including an elongated tube for maintaining a predetermined spacing between said front and rear sections; said drive member disposed within said tube and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof; said connecting section including a sub-assembly comprising said tube, a front flange means mounted to one end of said tube, a rear flange means mounted to the other end of said-tube; said front and said rear flange mea s including front and rear mounting surfaces, respectively, positioned in planes generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said tube; first means securing said front section to and in front of said front mounting surface, second means securing said rear section to and behind said rear mounting surface; said front section comprising a front sub-assembly including a mounting plate secured to said front flange means, said operating handle mounted to the front of said mounting plate, means secured to said mounting plate for latching an enclosure cover closed when said operating handle operates a circuit breaker to closed position, interlock means to prevent said operating handle from operating a circuit breaker to closed position unless which a cover for an enclosure having this circuit breaker therein is open.

8. A rotary handle mechanism for operating a circuit breaker mounted within an enclosure; said mechanism including a rear section engageable with a circuit breaker handle for operation thereof, a front section spaced from said rear section and including an operating handle mounted for rotary motion, a connecting section having said front and said rear sections secured thereto at opposite ends thereof, an elongated drive member extending between said front and rear sections to transmit motion of said operating handle to said rear section; said connecting section including an elongated tube for maintaining a predetermined spacing between said front and rear sections; said drive member disposed within said tube and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis there of; said connecting section including a sub-assembly comprising said tube, a front flange means mounted to one end of said tube, a rear flange means mounted to the other end of said tube; said front and said rear flange means including front and rear mounting surfaces, respectively, positioned in planes generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said tube; first means securing 10 said front section to and in front of said front mounting surface, second means securing said rear section to and behind said rear mounting surface; said front and said rear flange means including front and rear hubs, respectively; each of said hubs having an aperture into which an end of said tube extends.

9. A mechanism as set forth in claim 8 in which said first and said second means include first and second clamps, respectively, engaging deflectable portions of said front and said rear hubs, respectively.

10. A mechanism as set forth in claim 9 in which deflectable portions are formed by a plurality of slits in said hubs, said slits extending in the general direction of said longitudinal axis.

11. A mechanism as set forth in claim 10 in Which said first and second clamps include first and second clamps include first and second adjustable rings, respectively, surrounding said defiectable portions of said front and said rear hubs, respectively.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/ 1950 Hammerly 2005O 3/1952 Mead et a1. 74548 

1. A ROTARY HANDLE MECHANISM FOR OPERATING A CIRCUIT BREAKER MOUNTED WITHIN AN ENCLOSURE; SAID MECHANISM INCLUDING A REAR SECTION ENGAGEABLE WITH A CIRCUIT BREAKER HANDLE FOR OPERATION THEREOF, A FRONT SECTION SPACED FROM SAID REAR SECTION AND INCLUDING AN OPERATING HANDLE MOUNTED FOR ROTARY MOTION, A CONNECTING SECTION HAVING SAID FRONT AND SAID REAR SECTIONS SECURED THERETO AT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF, AN ELONGATED DRIVE MEMBER EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FRONT AND REAR SECTIONS TO TRANSMIT MOTION OF SAID OPERATING HANDLE TO SAID REAR SECTION; SAID CONNECTING SECTION INCLUDING AN ELONGATED TUBE FOR MAINTAINING A PREDETERMINED SPACING BETWEEN SAID FRONT AND REAR SECTIONS; SAID DRIVE MEMBER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID TUBE AND EXTENDING GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF; SAID CONNECTING SECTION INCLUDING A SUB-ASSEMBLY COMPRISING SAID TUBE, A FRONT FLANGE MEANS, A REAR FLANGE MEANS, FIRST MEANS POSITIONING SAID FRONT FLANGE MEANS ON SAID TUBE AT ONE END THEREOF AND POSITIONING SAID REAR FLANGE MEANS ON SAID TUBE AT THE OTHER END THEREOF; SAID FIRST MEANS REMOVABLY SECURING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID FLANGE MEANS TO SAID TUBE IN A SELECTED ANGULAR POSITION ABOUT SAID TUBE AS AN AXIS; SAID FRONT AND SAID REAR FLANGE MEANS INCLUDING FRONT AND REAR MOUNTING SURFACES, RESPECTIVELY, POSITIONED IN PLANES GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID TUBE; FIRST MEANS SECURING SAID FRONT SECTION TO AND IN FRONT OF SAID FRONT MOUNTING SURFACE, SECOND MEANS SECURING SAID REAR SECTION TO AND BEHIND SAID REAR MOUNTING SURFACE. 